Chicago police said Whitehorn, who has no valid driver's license, intentionally struck Shaneka Patterson as she rode her bike Wednesday evening near 64th Street and Artesian Avenue.

"For reasons unknown, this driver bumped her a couple of times and caused her to fall," said Wentworth Area Sgt. Rich Mancha. "If you bump her more than once, it ceases to be an accident. She was bumped three times."

Shaneka's mother, Virginia Patterson, said she was sitting on her porch a block away when she heard screams, and then a young girl raced to her home, saying Shaneka was trapped under a man's car.

Patterson and a crowd of neighbors rushed over and tried to lift the rusted Oldsmobile Cutlass, but Shaneka remained trapped for several minutes until firefighters arrived. Her blue 10-speed was crumpled under the car.

Shaneka's family said she suffered serious injuries to arms and a hand and that large patches of skin were torn from her face and arms.

Late Friday, she remained in serious condition at Christ Hospital and Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where family members said she had undergone surgery.

Police said that Whitehorn and a woman in the car fled on foot before police arrived, but that Whitehorn turned himself in two hours later. The woman was not charged.

Shaneka apparently came across Whitehorn sitting in his car with a door open. Some witnesses said she asked Whitehorn to shut his car door, but others said Whitehorn ordered Shaneka out of the street.

After a short exchange of words, Mancha said Shaneka rode off, but Whitehorn pulled behind her and bumped her three times.

"He hit the gas, and that little girl just disappeared," said neighbor Gloria Young, 40.